Fetal Alcohol Syndrome What Is FAS and How Does It Affect Babies?

If you are consuming alcohol and trying to become pregnant or you are currently pregnant, reach out to a healthcare provider for help quitting. Research by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that in certain areas of the United States, 0.2 to 1.5 cases of fetal alcohol syndrome occur for every 1,000 live births. Trusted SourceCenters for Disease Control and PreventionFetal Alcohol Spectrum DisordersSee All Sources [3] The most recent CDC study found 0.3 out of 1,000 children ages 7 to 9 years old have FAS. While no one knows how many drinks cause FAS, the more alcohol a mother drinks, the higher the chances that her fetus will have tissue and organ damage, including brain damage.

There is no known safe amount of alcohol during pregnancy or when trying to get pregnant. Alcohol can cause problems for a developing baby throughout pregnancy, including before a woman knows she’s pregnant. All types of alcohol are equally harmful, including all wines and beer.

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders are underrecognized

The app, which is part of the Collaborative Initiative on FASD, funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, is expected to be widely available in 2022. It’ll give parents of children with developmental disabilities access to online information that is consistent, high-quality, and readable. Research shows children with FASD who receive appropriate developmental disabilities services have better outcomes. The problem isn’t just in New York; it’s happening elsewhere in the US, too.

• In many cases, prenatal alcohol exposure is unintentional because women continue their normal drinking patterns before they know they are pregnant.
• For obvious ethical reasons, formal studies on the effects of alcohol on human brain development are limited.
• Children with ARND do not have full FAS but may demonstrate learning and behavioral problems caused by prenatal exposure to alcohol.
• People with FAS may have problems with their vision, hearing, memory, attention span, and abilities to learn and communicate.
• Teenagers with fetal alcohol syndrome may experience behavioral, cognitive, and physical limitations.

Ask your child’s healthcare provider about services in your area. If a baby has exposure to alcohol in the womb, they can develop a range of conditions known as fetal alcohol https://ecosoberhouse.com/ spectrum disorders (FASDs). The most severe of these disorders is fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). Alcohol use during pregnancy causes life-long issues that can be very serious.

Physical signs

An estimated 50–90% of people with FASD are also diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and many other people have secondary mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety. Alcohol was not viewed as dangerous for pregnant people until 1973 when the diagnosis of FAS was first implemented. However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) did not make a public awareness announcement about the side effects of alcohol use during pregnancy until 1977.

• Parents can also receive parental training tailored to the needs of their children.
• Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) are a group of conditions that can occur in a person who was exposed to alcohol before birth.
• Brain growth in the fetus takes place throughout pregnancy, so stopping alcohol consumption as soon as possible is always best.

Most women stop drinking alcohol once made aware of their pregnancy. Despite this fact, 7.6% of women report continued drinking during pregnancy. To improve outcomes, education emphasizing abstinence from alcohol is vital. Clinicians should not wait to educate the female about the adverse effects of alcohol when she gets pregnant but start the education process at every clinic visit before the pregnancy. A mental health nurse should offer to counsel to patients who have alcohol use disorder and are of childbearing age.

Behavioral Problems

In some cities, there are clinics whose staffs have special training in diagnosing and treating children with FASDs. To find doctors and clinics in your area visit the National and State Resource Directory from FASD United (formerly NOFAS). Diagnosing FASDs can be hard because there is no medical test, like a blood test, for these conditions. And other disorders, such as ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) and Williams syndrome, have some symptoms like FAS. Fetal alcohol syndrome is the result of prenatal alcohol exposure. Symptoms of fetal alcohol syndrome in teenagers vary from teen to teen.

• If a pregnant woman drinks alcohol but her child does not have the full symptoms of FAS, it is possible that her child may be born with alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorders (ARND).
• All types of alcohol are equally harmful, including all wines and beer.
• Fetal alcohol syndrome is a leading cause of intellectual disability, and drinking during pregnancy can also lead to miscarriage and stillbirth.

Experts explain that diagnosis may involve a team of doctors and other professionals and may include a neuropsychological exam. It may be difficult to diagnose FASDs because there’s no single test to make a diagnosis. Instead, you or a doctor may observe a cluster of symptoms in your child that suggests they have an FASD. The risk of FASDs increases with the amount of alcohol consumed.

What are the treatments for fetal alcohol syndrome?

Fetal alcohol syndrome happens when a person drinks any alcohol during pregnancy, including wine, beer, hard ciders and “hard liquor”. One reason alcohol is dangerous during pregnancy is that it’s passed through your bloodstream to the fetus through the umbilical cord. The baby doesn’t metabolize (break down) alcohol in the same way an adult does – it stays in the body for a longer period of time.

Please talk to your health care professional about specific questions concerning appropriate care, treatment, or other medical advice. Don’t start an alcohol elimination program without symptoms of fas telling your healthcare provider. They may be able to direct you to further options for achieving your goals and provide the medical care that may be necessary to withdraw from alcohol.